MASSAGE

What is it?

Massage is a term used to describe the manual manipulation of soft tissue in an effort to improve health. It is a holistic therapy that is believed to affect all body systems.

Massage techniques have been practiced for thousands of years in many cultures. Practitioners mainly use their hands, but may also use their forearms, elbows, or even their feet in some methods. Swedish massage is the most commonly practiced form of massage. Other types of massage, such as sports massage, Esalen massage, and neuromuscular massage, are modified versions of Swedish massage. Another variation, aromatherapy massage, involves the use of essential oils during massage.

Likely Effective for...

Cancer-related pain. Research shows that massage can decrease pain and anxiety in people with cancer. Massage might also improve sleep quality, reduce fatigue, reduce nausea, and reduce depression and anger in people with cancer.

Possibly Effective for...

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research suggests that massage therapy may improve mood and behavior in children with ADHD.

Back pain. Some early research suggests that massage might provide some short-term back pain relief. However, some guidelines state that the overall poor quality of evidence makes it difficult to estimate how beneficial massage is for back pain.

Labor pain. Some early research suggests that using massage during labor decreases pain, anxiety, depression, and distress in pregnant women.

Pain. Early research suggest that massage might reduce pain, depression, and anxiety, and improve overall mental health and energy in people with pain. However, the benefits appear to be only short-term.

Post-partum depression. Some research shows that mothers who massage their newborns have a less depression and anxiety. Massaging infants also seems to improve interaction between the mother and infant. Receiving massage therapy also seems to help anxiety in depressed adolescent mothers.

Stress. Some early research suggests that massage might lower stress in some people. Other research shows that massage reduces stress similarly to relaxation tapes.

Recovery after surgery. Some research shows that massage can lower pain, distress, and anxiety after surgery in some people.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

Anxiety Some early research suggests that back massage improves anxiety in elderly residents in long-term care homes.

Alcoholism. Early research suggests that using massage together with standard medical detox might lower withdrawal symptoms in people undergoing alcohol detox.

Asthma. Early research suggests that receiving massage therapy before bedtime for 30 days might reduce anxiety and improve lung function in children with asthma.

Itchy, red skin (eczema). Early research suggests that eczema may improve in children who receive a 20 minute daily massage along with standard care.

Autism. Early research suggest that receiving massage therapy before bedtime might improve sleep and behavior in children with autism. Other early research suggests that daily Qigong massage might improve social skills, basic living skills, sleep, bowel function, and the senses in children with autism.

Burns Early research suggests that massage therapy lowers anxiety, depression, anger, and pain when burn wounds are being treated.

Cerebral palsy. Early research suggests that a calf muscle massage twice weekly for 5 weeks might improve movement in children with a form of cerebral palsy.

Colic. Early research suggests that massage therapy might reduce crying as well as a crib vibrator in babies with colic.

Constipation. Early research suggests that stomach massage might improve bowel function in people who are constipated.

Critical illness. Some early research suggests that massage might improve sleep and relaxation in critical care patients. Other research suggests that massage is no more effective than aromatherapy or simple rest for improving stress, anxiety, or mood in these patients.

Cystic fibrosis. Early research suggests that mood and airflow might improve in children with cystic fibrosis when their parents give them a massage.

Memory loss (dementia). Early research suggests that hand massage might lower agitation in people with memory loss. Other research suggests that massage with or without aromatherapy might improve behavior in people with memory loss.

Depression. Early research suggests that massage therapy might improve depression, anxiety, restlessness, and tenseness in people who are depressed and hospitalized. However, other early research shows that massage does no improve depression or satisfaction in elderly people who are bedridden.

Diabetes. Early research suggests that massaging the place on the body where insulin is injected after an injection might increase insulin levels. Also, early research shows that anxiety and depression in children with diabetes might improve when their parents give them a nightly massage.

Muscle soreness after exercise. Research on the benefits of massage following exercise is mixed. Some research shows that massage reduces soreness after exercise. However, other research suggests that massage provides no benefit. Also, some research suggests that the improvement in muscle soreness from massage might be at the expense of muscle strength and function.

Fibromyalgia. Early research suggests that massage might lower pain, depression, anxiety, and the use of painkillers and improve quality of life and sleep in people with fibromyalgia.

Headache. Early research suggests that massage therapy might reduce how often people have headaches. It also might reduce how painful they are and how long they last.

HIV/AIDS. Some, but not all, early research suggests that massage therapy might improve immune function in people with HIV. Massage might also reduce anxiety and depression.

High blood pressure. Early research suggests that massage therapy might lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.

Infant development. Most, but not all, research shows that massage does not improve how infants grow. However, it might reduce crying, improve sleep, and improve mother-baby interactions.

Mental alertness. Early research suggests that massage might improve mental alertness in some people.

Multiple sclerosis. Early research suggests that massage might improve anxiety and depression in people with multiple sclerosis.

Muscle strength. Early research suggests that 5 minutes of forearm and hand massage improves grip strength.

Chronic muscle pain (myofascial pain). Early research suggests that using massage together with exercise might reduce the painful trigger points on the body in people with myofascial pain. It is not clear if massage alone provides these benefits.

Neck pain. Evidence on the benefits of massage for neck pain is mixed. Some early research suggests that massage is as effective as physical therapy and standard bone setting for neck pain. Other research suggests that massage is not as beneficial as acupuncture.

Osteoarthritis. Early research suggests that massage therapy improves pain, stiffness, range of motion, and walking speed in people with osteoarthritis in the knee.

Parkinson’s disease. Early research suggests that massage might improve self-confidence, well-being, walking, and daily living in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Pregnancy-related complications. Early research suggests that massage therapy throughout pregnancy might improve anxiety, mood, and sleep quality in pregnant women. Massage might also reduce labor complications and the risk for complications after birth, including post-partum depression.

Severe PMS symptoms (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Early research suggests that massage lowers anxiety, depression, and pain in women with PMDD. However, it does not appear to provide long-term benefits.

Anxiety before surgery. Some early research suggests that massage therapy might reduce nausea, neurological problems, and mental symptoms such as stress and fatigue in people scheduled for a bone marrow transplant. But other early research suggests that massage does not reduce anxiety or blood pressure in people before a heart procedure.

Quality of life. Early research shows that hand massage does not improve comfort levels or satisfaction with care in nursing home residents.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Early research suggests that massage therapy lowers pain and anxiety in children with rheumatoid arthritis.

Scarring. Early research suggests that friction massage does not improve scars. However, it might reduce itching in people with scars.

Shoulder pain. Early research suggests that massage therapy might improve pain, anxiety, range of motion, and function in people with shoulder pain.

Spinal cord injury. Early research suggests that massage might improve anxiety, depression, muscle strength, and wrist motion in people with a spinal cord injury. Other research shows that stomach massage might improve bowel function in these patients.

Alzheimer's disease.

Anorexia.

Athletic performance.

Bronchitis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Swelling in the colon (colitis).

Heart disease.

Diabetic nerve pain.

Diarrhea.

Swelling in the digestive tract.

Fatigue.

Inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease.

Heavy menstrual periods.

Muscle cramps.

Muscle fatigue.

Nausea.

Tearing from vaginal birth.

Pain from nerve damage.

Stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot.

Pressure ulcers.

Prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Respiratory tract infections.

Restless legs syndrome.

Seizures.

Sexual dysfunction.

Sinus infection.

Skin care.

Sleep disorders.

Quitting smoking.

Sprains.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

Tendonitis.

Weight loss.

Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of massage for these uses.

While there are many theories about how massage works, research is limited. Some suggest that massage might reduce swelling, increase the flow of oxygen into the tissues, soften or stretch scar tissue, reduce the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles, allow the muscles to relax, and stimulate the healing of connective tissue or damaged muscles. Many other effects have also been suggested.

People who support massage have suggested that massage therapy can transform nervous energy into a more steady state. This helps restore balance. Also, the nervous system might benefit from the repetition and tempo of a massage. Rhythms have meditative qualities that refresh both the patient and therapist.

The appropriate or safe use of massage depends on several factors such as the condition being treated or the person administering the treatment. Be sure to seek and follow relevant directions from your physician or other healthcare professional before using this treatment.

Most massage approaches begin with the patient lying face down on a platform or table with a sheet covering the lower body. Depending on the technique, sessions may last from 15 to 90 minutes. Many patients fall asleep during therapy. The environment is considered very important to massage therapy and often consists of a comfortable, quiet location. Soothing, repetitive, low-volume music or sounds may be played in the background.

Some therapeutic techniques that might be used during a massage therapy include repetitive passive movement of muscles attached to joints, long stroking or gliding, friction, compression, jostling/shaking, kneading, positional release methods, rhythmic traction, springing ,stretching, Swedish gymnastics, tapetoment, and vibration.

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